Cole and Phoebe: Through the Ages, Season 3
by BlackPuma137
Summary: "He was determined to see this out. He would kill them, he was sure of it. Only a few more minutes alone with Phoebe, and a few more days of ADA 'work'." A series of one-shots revolving around Cole and Phoebe in season three.
1. The Honeymoon's Over

_Author's Note: No copyright infringement intended, etc._

**The Honeymoon's Over**

**Season Three**

_Belthazor is acting as ADA to infiltrate the Charmed Ones to kill them._

Hmmm. By the way that one volunteered so quickly, he figured she would be the easiest link to the Charmed ones.

He led her away briskly, smiling inwardly at the effects his human charms had on her.

"So, your statement please."

"Well, we took an interest in this case-"

"So you're investigators?"

"Phoebe" frowned, her delicate nose scrunching up in a very endearing way. Not that it mattered.

"Nooo. We-"

"Consultants then?" he noticed a flash of frustration in her brown eyes.

"You know, if you let me finish-"

"Yes, of course, my apologies." What a wonderful shade of brown—very warm, he imagined, if they weren't the slightest bit hostile, as they were now.

She gave a slight harrumph. "Well, alright..."

"And your number please."

"Of course. Feel free to call anytime."

"For investigative purposes, of course."

She smiled. "Naturally...for investigation."

"Thank you," he said, and turned away. Perhaps this infiltration wouldn't take as long as he thought.

* * *

_Belthazor sneaks up on Phoebe as she's going back to her car after famous "leg-kick" scene._

It was odd, keeping up this pretense. Like how it was so odd how hard it was too slip up, so hard to refrain from saying "I'm a demon who's watching your every move and that's how I know to sneak up on you at school" versus "I'm an ADA who can look up people using detective services."

And he couldn't help but think of that very sexy leg as he walked away. He obviously needed a good fuck soon.

* * *

_The Charmed Ones have frozen the courtroom to note who are demons, and are fighting the demons, who are masquerading as the judge, attorneys, etc. They don't realize that Cole, being a demon, isn't really frozen. _

It was odd how badly he wanted to protect her from that leering Emilo. He shook his head at himself.

He was being ridiculous. He was only being protective so he himself could finish the Charmed Ones off.

He stared at her receding back. Feisty fighters, weren't they? Very s—no, silly thoughts again.

He was determined to see this out. He would kill them, he was sure of it.

Only a few more minutes alone with Phoebe, only a few more days of ADA 'work'. Then he would have success.


	2. Magic Hour

**Magic Hour**

**Season Three**

_Cole encounters Phoebe in the bookstore._

He was a good actor, apparently. There was no other reason why this flirting would come so easy to him. And he was enjoying it—hmm, a _really_ good actor then.

After all, he was a _demon._ One of the most powerful in the Underworld.

That feeling he was feeling, that edge of this warmth in his side—it must be brought on by the lack of company lately. It must be.

Odd, then, how he felt just a little breathless when he opened the door to her house and saw her. Odd how he visualized her when speaking to the Triad, and felt just a little bit sorry for speaking to the Triad.


	3. Sight Unseen and Primose Empath

**Sight Unseen/Primose Empath**

**Season Three**

_Cole proves his wish to be more than friends with Phoebe by kissing her...which is why Phoebe's confused they're going on a lunch date in Primose Empath, rather than a "romantic candlelight dinner"._

He really couldn't help it—she smelled wonderful, was just within reach-

But right away, he knew he did the right thing. Oh, she tasted delicious; he wanted to take her, right then and there.

But all too soon, they broke apart, staring at each other under the pulsating lights and deafening music of the club.

He could still smell her, taste her when he blinked home later.

Yum.

And that warm feeling in his side? It only got stronger.

He tried to persuade himself that it was only a ploy, a way to get closer to the Charmed Ones, a way to kill them faster. That's why he made it a lunch date, not a dinner date. That's why he broke up with her.

He couldn't afford to get closer to her. That would only lead to disaster. Yet he wasn't quite sure how long he could stay away.

* * *

_Prue told Phoebe that Phoebe and Cole were falling in love, so Phoebe goes to Cole's place to "show" him that. _

Exceptions.

There was never an exception.

Yet it seemed there was.

And she was on the other side of that door.

It felt like forbidden fruit was being waved in front of his face. He really shouldn't—after all, he had to kill her. He had to do his job.

But he really couldn't resist. He yearned for her warmth, for the sight of her smile, for the crinkle of her eyes...

That warm feeling that was in his side? It had spread all over now. He wasn't stupid; he realized what it was—humanity.

But he really couldn't resist.

So he opened the door, and he welcomed her kiss. Encouraged her kiss. Nearly took her against the door, right then and there.

His mind was intoxicated by her, but somehow he realized in the back of his mind that this was wrong. He had to kill her—he had never ignored orders before, and he knew that he was close to getting this right. She would be dead soon, and so would her sisters. He should get away, not get any more involved than necessary; he should leave.

There was a tug on his heart as he thought of what would come of this. Yet he couldn't confess, not now, when everything was perfect. Not now. So he settled for a whispered sentiment-"You have no idea what you're getting your self into." And nearly laughed when she reciprocated it, because he really did.

It was she that was blindsided, and for that he was sorry.

* * *

_The morning after._

He wished he could tell her.

He wished he could accept her help.

And he knew that she would eventually figure it out, and that drove a stab of fear into his heart. He was already (unexpectedly) upset over the fact that he had to leave. Upset that he had to tell half-truths.

There was no other way. He would later realize that he had a dark and a good side. And it was the dark side that wouldn't let him stray from his duties.

But he was scared.

Scared that after experiencing this humanity, he would lose it all. Scared that he would eventually have to stop lying to himself about what his feelings for Phoebe were. He thought that maybe he could work this out, that maybe he could figure something out. But he couldn't continue this.

He couldn't get closer to Phoebe, then be faced with eternity without her. That would just not do.

He was finally learning to laugh again.


	4. Power Outrage

**Power Outrage**

**Season Three**

_The Charmed Ones, infected by anger, break their bonds as sisters and Phoebe goes to Cole to seek comfort._

As he was opening the door, he almost considered showing her who he was. Almost. But he couldn't do it. The altar door—he felt his dark side rise a little, walked mechanically to grab the knife. He leaned forward, kissed her...he wanted something to remind him of her when he finished the job.

Suddenly, though, she kissed him back, and he felt his human half push down the dark side, just a bit. Her kiss, her touch, brought him back to humanity. To her.

His dark side wasn't having it. He felt himself raise his knife, but as she deepened the kiss, as he tasted her, he remembered what it was like to be with her. What it was like to laugh with her. What it was like to love her. What a sweet, pure heart she had.

He felt her embrace, and suddenly he found he couldn't keep up this pretense anymore. He couldn't hurt her now, not ever. He lowered the knife.

Oof. He couldn't let this kiss go on much longer, because he could already feel his will wasting away with a _certain_ provocation of a _certain_ part of his anatomy. If she kept this up, if she was away from her sisters too long, it would be harder and harder to repair their sisterhood, their link to each other—he knew the demon that infected them suspected that something was up; and he couldn't risk them being unprepared from danger.

He knew, now, that he couldn't kill her, he just couldn't. Her touch reminded him of that, and there was no escaping that now. No matter how evil his dark side got.

He would figure something out, he would make it work between him and Phoebe. But he couldn't kill her.

He was glad to find, though, that he could comfort her. That he could love her.


	5. Death Takes A Halliwell

**Death Takes a Halliwell**

**Season Three**

_Cole and Phoebe go back to his old apartment to get clues about the demon following the inspector._

He almost didn't want to come back to his old place. The memories of what he'd done there still haunted him, and if Phoebe got a premonition about him and the awful things he had done in his life...well, he was still getting over that himself.

He could still remember feeling the first ache of humanity, the first ache of love.

He could still remember feeling the awful dread at not telling Phoebe who he really was.

He could still remember the nightmares of he had had—nightmares of another world, where Phoebe was killed or somehow taken away from him. Where Phoebe managed to vanquish him without him telling her how much he loved her.

He wasn't quite sure he would be able to stand there without Phoebe's help. Phoebe clung to his side as he told her about his previous life, and he couldn't help but want her there for the rest of his life.

"There were mornings I woke up to you and I didn't feel evil...I started to believe my own lie."

"That's not a lie anymore. We can have that. We can have a life together."

"How?"

"By taking out the bad guys who want to take it away from us." If only, he thought. But what if they succeed? What if they take you? Kill you? What happens then? What am I supposed to do about that?

* * *

_Cole resists touching The Book of Shadows._

He didn't want to risk touching the book. He didn't to remind Phoebe, again, of how evil he was. As pure and forgiving as Phoebe was, he didn't want her to see anymore of his evil side as he could help. There was sure to be a point where Phoebe would realize how awful he was, how despicable...he was already ashamed of what he was, who he had been. He was frightened that Prue would get through to Phoebe, that Phoebe's forgiveness would run out.

* * *

_Cole sneaks behind the Charmed One's back to save the inspector—the inspector knows that Phoebe is his girlfriend, and if the demons find out, they would hurt her. _

This was about protecting Phoebe.

It always had been. He loved her, and he wasn't going to just sit there and watch her die because of him. Anything but for him.

After all, he knew that he wasn't good enough for her. He never was. He was a renegade demon, hardly worth it.

He was half-evil, fighting a fight that he didn't know if he'd ever win. He didn't deserve Phoebe; and he felt awful that he had to impose himself upon her family. (They didn't deserve that either.)

She was perfect, you see. Her heart was purer than he'd ever obtain, and she was still willing to go to the ends of the earth for him. She was greater and better and more caring than anyone he'd ever known.

She was out of his league, as they would say, and he knew it was only by her good graces he was here at all. For that he was ever grateful. For that he loved her even more.

So he tried even harder to repress his evil half. He didn't morph if he could help it, he didn't even hurt the innocent like he would have before.


End file.
